The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasia commonly known as the taro plant or elephant ears. Colocasia is grown as a food crop or for use as an ornamental for container or the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Colocasia esculenta and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘DIAMOND HEAD’. ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ is one of is one of five co-pending applications by the inventor relating to new cultivars of Colocasia. The other four co-pending applications are titled Colocasia plant named ‘Hawaiian Eye’ (U.S. application Ser. No. 12/006,580), Colocasia plant named ‘Blue Hawaii’ (U.S. application Ser. No. 12/006,576), Colocasia plant named ‘Pineapple Princess’ (U.S. application Ser. No. 12/006,581), and Colocasia plant named ‘Hilo Bay’ (U.S. application Ser. No. 12/006,474).
Colocasia is a tuberous rooted perennial which is native to tropical Asia and Polynesia. It grows to 1.5-2 m in height from starchy tubers. The leaves of Colocasia are heart-shaped and very large in size. The tuberous roots are cooked and eaten as a starchy staple in many tropical areas. It is also grown as ornamental plants for the landscape in warmer climates or as a container plant in colder areas.
The new Colocasia variety named ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ is the product of a formal breeding program, carried out in a cultivated area in Kula, Hi. The purpose of the breeding program is to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes not found in currently commercially available varieties.
‘DIAMOND HEAD’ is a seedling selection from the controlled pollination between the female parent variety ‘Putih’ (not patented) and male parent variety ‘Black Magic’ (not patented). Initially designated as ‘2005-17’, ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ was derived from a single plant selected in 2005.
The new variety ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ has large dark purple almost black colored leaves with a glossy finish. ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ produces uniform dark burgundy colored petioles with a semi-glossy finish. The leaves are ⅓ to ½ larger than its female parent and similar in size compared to its female parent, ‘Putih’. The female parent, ‘Putih’ exhibits smaller green glossy leaves with a purple spot on the upper leaf surface at the point of leaf and petiole attachment and a smooth margin. The petioles are of a light green semi-glossy color. The male parent, ‘Black Magic’, exhibits dark purple to black colored leaves with a matte finish and a smooth margin. The petioles are dark burgundy in color with a matte finish. In these aspects, this new variety differs from its parents.
The closest comparison variety known to the inventor is its female parent ‘Black Magic’ (not patented), its closest commercial variety. ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ produces uniform dark purple colored leaves with a glossy finish compared with ‘Black Magic’ that exhibit dark purple matte finish leaves.
The most commonly employed means of asexual propagation of the genus Colocasia is the excision and replanting of a shoot which consists of the apical 1 cm-2 cm portion of the plant corm with the attached basal 15 cm-20 cm portion of the petiole. In regions of the world where Colocasia is grown, this plant shoot is known as a “huli”, and the means of propagation is known as “huli propagation.” Asexual propagation of hulis of ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ began in 2005 in Hawaii by the inventor using huli propagation whereby the apical shoots are separated from the plant by cutting the shoot at the top of the corm immediately above the newest leaf scar and planted. Evaluation in field and pot studies have shown the unique features of ‘DIAMOND HEAD’ to be stable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.